Magazine



June 16, 1959 s. L. CHiLDERS ET AL 2,890,813

MAGAZINE Filed April 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5% ROBERT L.HANSEN t INVENTORS 658%? SPENCER L. CHILDERS June 16, 1959 s. L. CHILDERS ETAL 2,890,813

MAGAZINE Filed April 23, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SPENCER L. CHILDERS ROBERT L. HANSEN INVENTORS HUEBNER. BEEHLER WORREL & l-IERZIG United Sttes Patent MAGAZINE Spencer L. Childers and Robert L. Hansen, Fresno, Calif., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application April 23, 1956, Serial No. 579,855

Claims. (Cl. 221-67) The present invention relates to a magazine for the storage of articles of substantially uniform sizes and shapes and in greater particularity to a magazine in which the articles are arranged in corded stacks and in which provision is made for adjusting the dimensions of the magazine to accommodate articles of various predetermined. substantially uniform sizes and shapes.

The subject invention is a further development of the invention disclosed in the prior co-pending United States patent application. of the present applicant and Spencer Childers filed November 1,1954, having Serial No. 465,- 779, and that of Spencer Childers, solely, filed February 21,1955, having Serial No. 489,319, now Patent No. 2,836,326, issued May 27, 1958.

The magazine of the present invention is especially adapted for use in storing bottles in a vending machine althoughas will be subsequently apparent, it is not limited to such. a use. It'has been found desirable to be able to, adjust the size of a magazine of this nature in order .tocondition it to handle any selected variety of the many varieties of bottle sizes and shapes presently in use. In the past, it has been necessary either completely to reconstruct such magazines, to provide replacement magazines, or to attempt to employ the same magazine for bottles of various sizes and shapes. In the latter instance, it has been found that magazines not suited to the particular. bottles tend to cause jamming and/or inadvertent discharge-of the bottles inasmuch as they are not maintained in proper nested relation in the magazine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magazine for storing articles which is ad- 'justableto accommodate articles of a substantially common size and shape selected from a wide variety of sizes .and shapes within the range of adjustability.

. Another object is to provide a magazine of this nature which can be conveniently and rapidly adjusted and which adjustment can be accomplished in a very economical manner.

Another object is to adapt a magazine so that it is capable of'accommodating articles of varying sizes and shapes in order to confine such articles therein in proper nested relation so as to avoid jamming and inadvertent discharge of the articles.

, Another object is to provide a magazine for the storage of articles which is adjustable to accommodate a wide range ofbottle widths and lengths.

Another object is to provide a magazine of the nature described especially adapted for use in bottle vending machines but which is capable of many other uses, which is compact and dependable, which may be conveniently and quickly loaded, which is simple and economical to constructand use, and which is highly effective for accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description.

In-the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa top plan view of a portion of a bottle vendice ing machine and showing the magazine of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, and showing a plurality of bottles in dashed lines stacked in the magazine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken on a plane at a position represented by line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are top plan views of the magazine of the present invention showing different adjustments thereof, and showing, in dashed lines, bottles of various sizes stacked in the magazine.

Referring in greater particularity to the. drawings, a vending machine is generally indicated by the numeral 10 and includes a magazine 11 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The magazine provides a pair of substantially vertically disposed, spaced parallel side walls 12 interconnected by a substantially vertical rear wall 13 and having substantially perpendicularly inwardly extended front flanges 14. A front brace 15 interconnects the front flanges at lower ends thereof. The side and rear walls of the magazine define a magazine compartment 16 having predetermined front, rear, upper and lower portions, 17, 18, 19 and 20, respectively.

A pair of mounting studs 22 are secured to each panel 27 at the upper end portion 19 of the compartment 16. The mounting studs have collars 23 on opposite, sides of their respective panels, and circular stops 24 disposed inwardly of the compartment. The, mounting studs are all positioned in a common substantially horizontal plane, are spaced the same distance apart on each panel, and are in opposed relation to corresponding studs on the opposite panel.

A pair of substantially U-shaped auxiliary side wall members are designated by numerals 25 and 26 for purposes of convenient subsequent reference although the auxiliary members are of identical construction. The members thus provide panels 27 having upper edges 26, lower edges 29, and lateral edges 30. The auxiliary members also have marginal flanges 40 substantially perpendicularly extended in a common direction from their respective panels, as best seen in Fig. 1. In addition, the auxiliary members have portions 41 adjacent to their upper edges 28 ofiset from the panels 27 in the same direction as their respective marginal flanges 40. In this regard it is to be noted that the offset portions are offset a distance equal to approximately half the width of the marginal flanges. It will be understood that the width referred to is the dimension of the marginal flanges between the plane of the panel and the terminus of the marginal flanges measured perpendicularly to the panel.

The offset portions 41 of the auxiliary side wall members 25 and 26 provide mounting keyholes 46 including upper small portions 47 and lower larger portions 48. The mounting holes are fitted over the inwardly extended studs 22 to support the auxiliary wall members within the compartment 16 with the panels 27 in opposed facing relation in substantially vertical positions and with the marginal flanges 40 likewise vertically disposed. It will be noted. that the small portions of the mounting holes fit down over the studs back of the stops 24. These small portions are of lesser diameter than the stops and thus necessitate lifting of the auxiliary members in order to remove them from the studs.

Upper and lower rear J-shaped mounting brackets 55, as seen in dashed lines in Fig. 2, are secured by rivets 56 to the side walls 12 of the magazine 11 at the rear of the compartment 16. Each of' the rear mounting brackets provides a back flange 57 which is secured to .5and6.

'varying lengths and widths.

.ah A rm its respective side wall by the rivets and an upwardly responding slots in the opposed bracket.

An auxiliary rear wall member 65 is of substantially U-shape and thus provides a central panel 66 having an upper edge 67, a lower edge 68, and lateral edges 69. This rear member also has marginal flanges 70 substantially perpendicularly extended from the panel in a common direction. Further, mounting pegs 71 are outwardly extended in opposite directions from the marginal flanges at upper and lower ends thereof and are spaced apart longitudinally of the flanges the same distance as the distance between slots 59 of corresponding upper and lower mounting brackets 55.

A cradle 75 is mounted in the magazine 11 beneath the lower end 20 of the compartment 16 and includes rocker shafts 76 rotatably journalled in the front brace '15 and the rear wall 13 to form a substantially horizontal rocker axis. The cradle has front and rear end plates 77 secured to the rocker shafts, and the rear end plate has an arcuate slot 78 fitted over a control pin 79 mounted in the rear wall for guiding rocking movement of the cradle. A pair of bars 80 interconnect the end plates and are in spaced relation to each other. Bottle [supporting finger plates 81 are secured to the bars by screws 82.

The magazine 11 is adapted to contain a plurality of elongated bottles 86 having neck ends 87 and butt ends .88. The bottles are confined between the auxiliary side wall members 25 and 26 in the compartment 16 in a corded stack, or stated otherwise, in a pair of substantially vertical, laterally overlapping columns so that the butt ends of the bottles engage the front flanges 14 and the neck ends extend rearwardly, as represented in Figs. 4,

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention is believed readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. As stated, the magazine 11 is adjustable to accommodate bottles, such as 86, having It is to be understood, however, that once adjusted, only bottles having lengths and widths corresponding to such an adjustment may be stored in the magazine. If another size bottle is to be stored, the magazine must be re-adjusted to suit the new size. With the present invention, however, this is quickly and conveniently accomplished.

With particular reference to Figs. 4, and 6, the various adjustments of the magazine 11 will be described. In Fig. 4, the auxiliary side wall members 25 and 26 are supported on the mounting studs 22 with their flanges 40 in abutment with their respectively adjacent side walls 12 so as to position their associated panels 27 in spaced relation to said adjacent side walls. This provides a predetermined minimum width between the panels to confine bottles of a minimum width Within the range of accommodation. Also in Fig. 4 is shown a first adjustment of the auxiliary rear wall member 65. This auxiliary member is in its closest position to its front flanges 14 with the pegs 71 rested in the correspondingly aligned forwardmost slots 59.

It is also to be noted, as shown in Fig. 4, that the flanges 70 extend forwardly. This provides a predetermined minimum length for the compartment for the bottles of minimum length within the range of accommodation.

:, If bottles 86 of a greater length and width are to be stored, one or the other of the auxiliary side wall members, 25 for example, is reversed in position so that its panel 27 rests against its adjacent side wall 12 and the marginal flanges 40 extend into the compartment 16. This increases the distance between the panels 27 and thus increases the compartment width. It is to be noted that the marginal flange does not interfere with proper stacking of the bottles. The auxiliary rear wall member 65 is moved to a middle position in Fig. 5 again with the flanges 70 forwardly extended so as to accommodate larger bottles.

The magazine 11 is adjusted to a maximum bottle size, as shown in Fig. 6, by reversing both of the auxiliary side wall members 25 and 26 so that their flanges 40 extend inwardly of the compartment 16 and by positioning the auxiliary rear wall member 65 in its rearwardmost position.

Further variations in the length of the compartment 16 may be eflected by reversing the position of the rear auxiliary member 65 in its forward, rear or middle positions so that the marginal flanges 70 extend rearwardly. An example of this rearwardmost position of the rear member is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 1.

It is important to note that by offsetting the portions 41 in the above described manner, the same length of stud 22 may be employed to support the auxiliary side wall members 25 and 26 regardless of which position the auxiliary members take. When they are positioned with their panels in spaced relation to the side walls, the offset portions have the additional advantage of preventing interference of the studs with bottles in the compartment.

Although forming no particular part of the present invention, it is to be noted that bottles 86 are dispensed from the compartment 16 through the lower end 20 by rocking of the cradle or vending rocker 75 between alternate positions so as to permit the lowermost bottle in the compartment to drop between the finger plates 81. The mechanism for accomplishing this task is fully developed in the prior pending applications cited above and is not described in greater detail herein.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a magazine for storing articles of varying sizes and shapes has been provided which may be quickly, conveniently and economically adjusted to accommodate articles of different sizes and shapes. In practice, it has been found that this adjustment of the magazine to suit the bottles being stored and/or vended is highly eflective for preventing jamming of the bottles, minimizing jarring, and for maintaining them in proper nested relation without inadvertent discharge.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A magazine for containing articles of substantially uniform length and width comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel upright walls defining a compartment therebetween having horizontal longitudinal and transverse dimensions and adapted to confine said articles in a stack with the articles disposed longitudinally horizonally in the compartment, a transversely substantially U-shaped auxiliary wall member including a substantially flat article engaging portion having opposite sides and spaced marginal flanges extended in a common direction from the article engaging portion, and means removably supporting the auxiliary wall member in the compartment on one of the walls in substantially parallel relation thereto, the auxiliary member being reversible between a. position with the flanges engaging the wall on which the auxiliary member is supported so as to space the article engaging portion outwardly from said wall and a position with the article engaging po'rtionagainst said wall whereby the effective width of the compartment is varied, the flanges of the auxiliary wall member being spaced sufliciently that the articles may engage the article engaging portion therebetween when the flanges are outwardly extended from the wall.

2. A magazine for confining articles of substantially uniform length and width substantially horizontally disposed in a pair of upright overlapping columns comprising a pair of upright side walls spaced a predetermined distance apart defining a compartment therebetween, said side Walls being of horizontal longitudinal dimensions greater than the uniform length ofthe articles, an auxiliary side wallmember having a central portion and marginal flanges angularly extended in a common direction from the central portion, the flanges being spaced 2. distance less than the horizontal longitudinal dimensions of the side walls for concurrent engagement of said flanges therewith and being spaced sufliciently that the articles may engage the central portion of the auxiliary side wall member between said flanges, means removably supporting the auxiliary side wall member on one of the side walls for alternate mounting between a position with the flanges abutting the side wall adjacent thereto with the central portion in spaced relation to said side wall and a position with the central portion lying against said side wall with the flanges extended inwardly of the compartment whereby the effective width of the compartment may be adjusted, an auxiliary rear wall member, and means mounting the rear wall member on the side walls transversely of the compartment for adjustable positioning toward and away from said front inturned flanges whereby the effective length of the compartment may be adjusted.

3. A magazine for confining elongated articles of substantially uniform length and width in a pair of upright overlapping columns comprising a pair of upright side walls spaced a predetermined distance apart defining a compartment therebetween and having front article engaging inturned flanges, the side walls having horizontal longitudinal dimensions greater than the uniform length of the articles, a pair of auxiliary side wall members having substantially flat central portions and marginal flanges angularly extended in a common direction from their respective central portions, said flanges being spaced at distance less than the horizontal longitudinal dimensions of the side walls but sufficient for the engagement of the articles with the central portions therebetween means alternately and removably supporting the auxiliary side wall members individually on the side wall for independent reversible movement between a position with the flanges abutting the side walls adjacent thereto with the central portions in spaced relation to their adjacent side walls and a position with the central portions lying against their adjacent side walls with the flanges extended inwardly of the compartment whereby the effective width of the compartment may be adjusted, an auxiliary rear wall member, and means mounting the rear wall member on the side walls transversely of the compartment for adjustable positioning toward and away from said front inturned flanges whereby the effective length of the compartment may be adjusted.

4. A magazine for storing elongated articles having opposite ends and being of substantially uniform length and width in a stack with the individual articles substantially horizontally disposed comprising a pair of spaced substantially erect side walls having inturned front flanges and being interconnected by a rear wall to define a compartment therewithin for receiving said stack of articles with corresponding ends against the inturned flanges and corresponding opposite ends extended rearwardly therefrom, the said walls having horizontal longitudinal dimensions greater than the length of the articles, mounting members inwardly extended into the compartment from the side walls, and a pair of transversely substantially U-shaped auxiliary side wall members including central anels and marginal flanges substantially perpendicula'rly extended in a common direction from the panels, the flangesbeing' spaced a distance less than the horizontal longitudinal dimensions of the side walls for concurrent engagement therewith and sufliciently for the engagement-of said articles with the central panels there between, the auxiliary side wall members having portions offset from their respective panels in the same direction as'their associated flanges providing mounting openings therein fitted over the mounting members for individually supporting the auxiliary sidewall members on the side walls, said'oflset portions lying in planes midway between the extended edges of the flanges of their respective auxiliary walls and the sides of the central portions op posite to the flanges, the auxiliary side wall members being independently reversible between a first position with the flanges abutting their adjacent side walls to space the associated panel from said adjacent side walls and a second position with the flanges extended inwardly of the compartment so that the panels are against said adjacent side walls whereby the effective width of the compartment is adjustable.

5. In a vending machine; a magazine for confining elongated bottles having butt ends and neck ends and being of substantially uniform length and width in a pair of substantially vertical overlapping columns comprising a pair of substantially erect side walls spaced a predetermined distance apart having substantially perpendicularly inwardly turned front flanges and defining a compartment therebetween providing front and rear portions and a downwardly disposed discharge opening and being adapted to receive said column of bottles with the butt ends against the front flanges and with the neck ends rearwardly extended, said side walls having horizontal longitudinal dimensions greater than the length of the bottles, mounting studs secured to the side walls and extended inwardly into the compartment in elevationally spaced relation to the discharge opening having auxiliary side walls supporting portions in predetermined spaced relation to the side walls, a pair of auxiliary side wall members including central panels having predetermined upper, lower and lateral edges, and marginal flanges substantially right angularly extended in a common direction from the lateral edges of their respective panels, the flanges being spaced a distance less than the longitudinal dimensions of the side walls but suflicient for the engagement of the bottles with the central panels therebetween when the bottles are in horizontal stacked relation, the auxiliary side wall members further having portions adjacent to their upper edges offset from the planes of their respective panels in the same direction as their associated flanges, the offset portions being offset from their associated panels a distance approximately one-half of the width of the lateral flanges and providing mounting openings therein fitted over the supporting portions of the mounting studs and supporting the auxiliary wall members individually on the side walls in opposed facing relation with the flanges in substantially vertical positions, the auxiliary wall members being adapted to be independently reversed in position between a first position with the flanges outwardly extended in abutment with their adjacent side walls to space the associated panels from the adjacent side walls and a second position with the flanges extended inwardly of the compartment to place their associated panel against said side walls whereby the width of the compartment is adjustable, upper and lower rear mounting brackets secured to the side walls at the rear of the compartment providing a plurality of longitudinally spaced upwardly disposed slots with corresponding slots in opposed brackets in alignment transversely of the compartment and with corresponding slots in the brackets on each wall in vertical alignment, an auxiliary rear wall member including a central panel having predetermined upper, lower and lateral edges and marginal flanges substantially perpendicularly extended in a common direction from the lateral edges of the panel, upper and lower mounting pegs outwardly extended from the marginal flanges of the auxiliary rear wall member fitted in correspondingly aligned slots in the mounting brackets to support the rear wall member with the panel in a substantially vertical position transversely of the compartment in a position to engage the neck ends of bottles in the compartment, the rear wall member being adjustable in position forwardly and rearwardly of the compartment by placing the mounting pegs in selected longitudinally spaced slots and further being reversible in position with the flanges extended forwardly and with the flanges extended rearwardly whereby the length of the compartment is adjustable; and means mounted in the magazine below the discharge opening in'the compartment engageable with columns of bottles in the compartment and adapted for movement to release bottles individually from the compartment through said discharge opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,395,941 Beattie Nov. 1, 1921 1,666,849 Fry Apr. 17, 1928 2,272,682 Srodulski Feb. 10, 1942 2,438,503 Holt Mar. 30, 1948 2,549,081 Hall Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,226 Denmark July 5, 1920 

